


Let Me Be the One

by orphan_account



Series: 'Cause It's Not the Pebble, It's the Penguin [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Penguins, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2013-11-09
Packaged: 2017-12-31 22:42:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis and Harry are penguins. I apologize for nothing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Me Be the One

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Français available: [Laisse Moi Etre L'Unique](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1279933) by [DonutDream (orphan_account)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/DonutDream)



> I saw an article about penguins mating for life and proposing to each other with pebbles, and then this happened.

Louis has been searching for the perfect pebble for months now, but all the ones he’s seen are too dull and too boring and just not _right_ , and Harry deserves nothing but the best. Louis wants to keep searching indefinitely until he finds the perfect pebble, but yesterday he saw Nick huddling _very_ close to Harry and he fears he’s running out of time. Nick is an excellent choice in a life mate, much to Louis’ chagrin. He’s got lots of extra blubber that would keep Harry warmer in the winter, his coloring is bright and beautiful, and he always brings Harry fresh krill from the ocean. Louis probably doesn’t stand a chance, but he still has to _try_. Ever since Harry tripped over his own two feet and crashed into Louis, sending them both slipping and sliding down an ice hill, Louis has wanted to be Harry’s life mate. He may not be the most beautiful or the fattest penguin, but he still believes he can protect Harry, keep him safe and warm and make sure he doesn’t trip and fall and break one of his flippers.

  
Louis is a little bit away from the main huddle sorting through some promising pebbles when he hears a big commotion. He waddles back towards the group only to see Nick laying a pebble down at Harry’s feet. It’s like all of Louis’ worst nightmares come true. Louis doesn’t even want to wait around to see Harry accept Nick’s pebble. He had always hoped that Harry would accept _his_ pebble and become _his_ life mate, and he can’t handle watching this scene unfold, can’t handle watching on as Nick shoulders the responsibility of taking care of his boy.

  
Louis waddles as far away as he can, wanting to just dive deep into the ocean and never resurface. He looks at all the stupid pebbles he spent so long uselessly collecting before he dejectedly tosses them to the ground. Maybe if he hadn’t been hung up on finding the shiniest and roundest pebble, he could have proposed in time. Maybe if he didn’t have such dull colorings and such skinny flippers, Harry would be his right now, instead of Nick’s.

  
Louis loses track of how long he sits there, staring at his discarded pile of pebbles, thinking about how dull his life will be without Harry in it. He doesn’t want to leave Harry, wants to be able to huddle against him and keep him warm even if he belongs to Nick now, wants to watch him trip over his feet and get tangled up in his own flippers because _god_ that’s always been so endearing, but he’s just not sure he can stomach seeing them together every day.

  
He’s pulled back to the present when he sees a flipper brush aside his pile of lame pebbles. He startles and looks up to see Harry sitting in front of him, holding a single pebble, the most beautiful pebble Louis’ ever seen. It’s shiny and round and just absolutely perfect, and Louis is in love. He’s been frozen for a few moments now, just completely shocked and unsure of what to do, and his silence must send Harry the wrong message because he hangs his head and starts to waddle away.

  
Louis jumps into action, waddling as fast as he can to catch up to Harry. He trips over his discarded pile of pebbles, though, and sprawls head-first into Harry, knocking them both to the ground and sending them skidding across the ice. Once they stop sliding, Louis pushes himself off Harry to hurriedly grab the pebble that Harry miraculously managed to hold on to. He studies Harry’s face for a moment, as if to make sure he’s actually serious, that this isn’t just some form of a cruel joke. When he looks into Harry’s eyes all he sees is love and that’s all the confirmation Louis needs. He brings the pebble close to his chest and drops back down next to Harry, who looks like the happiest penguin in the Antarctic.

  
Harry intertwines their flippers as they huddle closer together for warmth. Harry looks a bit cold and Louis knows it would be better to go back to the group so that they can join the heat circle, but he really isn’t up for sharing his life mate just yet. Instead they stay cuddled up on the ice and enjoy each other, enjoy their bond. Louis knows it won’t always be smooth sailing, that life can get rough and that winters can get downright unbearable, but Louis’ got the most perfect pebble and the most perfect penguin at his side, so he’ll save the worrying for another day.


End file.
